Xan
Age : 31 Posts : 32 Join Date : 2014-02-21 Rank : Captain of Division Five Exp : 459 Weapon Skill : Master HSM : Master Reiatsu : Master Hakudo : Untrained
| Subject: Alexander R. Kazura [Finished] Sun Feb 23, 2014 5:00 am | |
| ~~~Shinigami~~~ Name: Alexander R. Kazura Alias: Grand Kido Chief/Master of the Demon Arts Age: 525 Visual Age: Early Twenties Gender: Male Reiatsu Color: Silver w/Black Ribbons Affiliation: The Gotei 13 Division: Division Five/Kido Corps Rank: Captain of Squad Five/Kido Corps Commander --------------------Persona-------------------- Appearance: - Image:
The Captain of the Kido Division has a relatively 'small' frame, being almost deceptively thin to the point where he is assumed to be frail. Underneath the uniform however, much of that thinness is simply the tone of his muscles. It would be a lie to say that he is necessarily physically powerful however, as Xander is much more the scholar than the fighter. His frame lends itself most readily to high speed movements and dexterous actions designed to focus combat on speed rather than raw power. Though he is not particularly short, Xander is not overly tall either, being only slightly taller than what is considered the 'average' among Shinigami at a height that could be considered complimentary to his thin frame. In terms of skin tone, Xander possesses what most people would profess to be olive skin though it is slightly darker on his head, chest, and arms than the rest of his body. His eyes are a deep grey that could only be compared to the darkest storm clouds, while his hair is the opposite shade being so light grey to be almost purely white. For uniform, Alexander wears the traditional uniform of the Shinigami, known as the Shihakusho, underneath his white short-sleeved Captain's haori. The underside of the haori, as is traditional for Captains, is his Division's color which is a shade of pale turquoise. On the back of his haori is the symbol of the Fifth Division, as is also traditional for a Captain of the Fifth Division. For personal touches, Xander has emblazoned the symbol of the Kido Corps on both sides of the haori on the front at chest level. Furthermore, a thin silver sash that runs from left shoulder to right hip connects his Zanpakuto to his back. It is rare to see the Captain without this uniform, though when appropriate, he does have other garments that he can utilize with the majority of the selection being dark colors with varying degrees of silver or grey touches. In between appearance and personality lay the mannerisms and typical body language of individuals. In these, Xander acts as something of a contradiction to his personality. Though he is reserved and more of an introvert than an extrovert, his body language suggests confidence with every step and an assurance of power even in the way that he sits. This is because for a long time, he 'conditioned' his mind and body to behave in certain ways in public. When he is walking, he does so with a regal demeanor, walking with powerful strides with his head held high though not so much so as to be considered pompous or arrogant. Similarly, Xander keeps an ever-present, semiconscious vigilance on the mannerisms of his body, ensuring that his image is ever one of the magisterial Captain of the Fifth Division. Naturally, this demeanor wanes ever so slightly when Xander becomes comfortable in a certain environment or around people who he feels comfort around, however there is enough of this nature that is real and not performed that the shift is only slight. Personality: The Stoic - There are two levels of common 'friendly' interaction with Alexander. To those whom are considered to be acquaintances or allies who are not quite friends, Alexander displays a rather stoic personality. His actions could be described as almost formal, especially in interactions with other Captains. That is not to say that he does not act polite, however it could be said that he acts slightly stiff to those whom he is not completely familiar and comfortable with. The second level of interaction with him occurs at the beginning of friendship. Those who are within his Division are automatically treated to this aspect of his persona, as he considers them to be like a massive family. Displaying stoicism to a much lesser degree, Xander acts much more laid-back around subordinates and with those whom he considers to be friends. He is more talkative, and acts much less 'stiff.' He typically addresses people by their first name instead of by their last, which is the inverse of the previous level of interaction and could be considered more 'pleasant' to be around when he becomes more comfortable with people. The Neurotic - In modern terms, Xander could be considered to be slightly neurotic, though not in dangerous quantities. Evident by the drive that he displayed to become 5th Division Captain, Alexander is highly success-driven. He is also somewhat reserved, preferring the company of a select few to that of the many. Over time, he has learned to suppress this quality when required, mostly doing so by teaching at the Shino Academy, though at his most 'base' level the reserved quality is still present. Though his stoic nature would almost seem to be a contradiction to this, he has a tendency to desire to be seen in a positive light which is why he opens up and becomes more laid back when he becomes more comfortable around people. It is this trait that leads him to perform generous actions and to take time out of his schedule to aid others when he can. This trait also makes him incredibly diplomatic, and he prefers to settle disputes by negotiation rather than by the drawing of his blade when practical. The Studious - Alexander's greatest traits are his intellect and capability to learn. His curiosity extends to a great number of subjects, and it does not take him long to understand topics that he truly sets his mind to. That being said, he is also incredibly perceptive, being able to 'pick apart' minor details and test their significance to the matter at hand with relative ease. The subject that Xander has placed the most focus into is naturally Kido, and as Captain of Squad Five and Kido Corps Commander, he has made it his personal duty to ensure that his knowledge of Kido is foremost in all of the Soul Society. Even as much as he enjoys learning and studying everything around him, Xander also enjoys teaching and does so whenever he has down time from his duties. This studious nature also has the impact of making him quite a curious individual even in situations wherein curiosity might not be appropriate. As an example, in an interaction with a Vizard, Xander would be as likely to examine the mechanics of their masks as he would be to follow the designated 'protocol' of Soul Society. --------------------History-------------------- History:- Prologue - Arrival to Soul Society:
No shinigami can remember their lives as humans. This is a simple rule and an unspoken law to whom obedience is mandatory. For some, this could be seen as a tragedy, to forget the lives that might have been special and truly blessed. To others, this could be seen as redemption, a slate being wiped clean of the filth of their pasts. Yet still to others, the fact that the world of the living is but a fleeting memory is irrelevant, as they never had the chance to truly experience the world before they died. The man who would become known as Alexander R. Kazura would be of the last type of individual.
His death would occur not in the ripeness of old age, but in the first moments of his existence, as he and the woman who would have been his mother were both claimed by death's sweet but chilling embrace. The man who would have been his father had not known of the pregnancy of the woman with whom he had lain during a night of senselessness and thus was not there to spare woman and child from their fate. Neither to stave off death was the half-brother that the babe would never meet as a living human. No, fate had a plan in mind for this child, and fate's plan called for this child to leave the world of the living and to enter into the world of souls.
- Ch. 1 - Rukongai Life:
Weep not for the fate of the baby Alexander. Though fate seemed to have been cruel to strike down mother and child mere moments away from birth, it did repay a cruelty with a kindness. There are eighty districts in each of the four cardinal directions in the Rukongai of the Soul Society, and as one reached further outwards into the larger numbered districts they would notice that life became rougher and harsher for those living there. The inverse was also true, with the smaller numbers being more pleasant places to live. Fate's first gift to Alexander was to allow his soul to be placed in the first district of the Rukongai, known as the Junrinan or the 'Lush Forest Peace.'
This was the most peaceful and lawful of the districts of the Rukongai, and offered the most comfortable lives to its denizens outside of the noble houses contained in the Seireitei that it surrounded. As such, Xander's 'childhood' was not as troubled as it could have been, and opportunities were endless for those who knew where to search for them. Though it is unknown if the mother was the same one who ferried him to the spirit world, what is known is that the child was raised by a family who loved him and cared for him. Indeed, when he cried, they would soothe him. When he fell, they would nurture him...and when the days came that he began to hunger, they would find ways to feed him.
Hunger...
The young one could not have known, but his hunger was a sign to the family who raised him. This family of beings from different eras and cultures had enough collective knowledge of the Soul Society to ascertain that hunger was not a common trait shared amongst the souls of the dead. The fact that Alexander hungered when no one else did marked him from the beginning as being one possessed of the potential to become something truly great in the Soul Society. From the onset of this sign of potential, Xander's family would give him encouragement and would ensure that he knew that he was destined for greatness the likes of which was unimaginable. When he grew older, he would begin to understand the nature of what made him special...and when he grew older still, he would take that thing that made him special and he would begin to utilize it. At the age of one-hundred years old, Alexander would enter into the Shin? Academy.
- Ch. 2 - The Academy:
Life in the academy was as different from life in the Junrinan as living in an urban city was to living on an uncharted island. Everything was vastly different from life in the first district of the Rukongai. He was given a 'blank' Zanpakuto, and made to wear a uniform everywhere he went. As well, it seemed that there were always dense crowds of his fellow students everywhere he walked from dawn to dusk. There were halls wherein he would sit through lecture upon lecture, and when there were no lectures occurring, there would be training with the sword that he had never used before stepping foot into the Shin? Academy. When he was not training with the sword, he was training for endurance and increasing his speed. When speed and endurance training were not occurring, it was hand-to-hand combat that was being honed. Perhaps the most strange was the final art that he was being taught: the 'Demon Arts' known as Kido.
Alexander R. Kazura felt as though he had come home again.
He loved the feeling of being a part of something larger than himself, and wore even his training uniform with such pride that one might have sworn that he had earned a Captain's haori to wear over it. In terms of his schooling, Kazura's expertise would fall along a certain line: it would become clear that his hakuda skills were his weakest element. He was not overly fond of fighting with his fists and feet, and the concept of using his body as a weapon quite eluded him in comparison to several others. In another physical combat art however, Alexander would perform well, scoring higher than average marks wherein Zanjutsu was concerned. Higher marks even than these would he earn in Hoho, the art of movement in combat. His nimble frame and skills in dexterity would be of much service to him in this arena. By far the highest marks that he would receive however, would be in Kido, the 'Demon Arts' that he found so strange and so fascinating. He reveled in the mysterious nature of Kido and found that its use came to him naturally, far moreso than to almost anyone else within his class. Within two years, he would graduate from Shin? Academy with the highest marks in Kido for that class. This being the case, it was quite clear which of the three branches of the Soul Society military he would join. He would join the Kido Corps, becoming a seated officer directly out of the Academy.
- Ch. 3 - The Kido Corps:
If he found the Shin? Academy to be relatively intriguing, Alexander would find the Kido Corps to be more to his liking still. The secrecy of their affairs, the nearly unlimited knowledge of Kido that surrounded him, and the challenge of having other shinigami around him who specialized in Kido were simply aspects that made the Corps feel like it was simply the right organization for him to be apart of. However, not every waking moment was devoted to the Demon Arts. Indeed, shortly after graduating from the Academy, Xander would set his sights not outward to the infinite knowledge of the Kido Corps. Instead, he would set his sights inward, seeking to establish contact and then a relationship with the blade that was to become the physical embodiment of his soul.
Shortly after being accepted into the Kido Corps, Kazura would unlock the doors that led to his inner world and would establish the desired contact with his Zanpakuto. In establishing this contact, he would literally uncover an entire new world and would begin to speak to the being who would ultimately become his greatest friend in all of the worlds. After all, when someone is as close to you as being bonded at the level of the soul, how can you help but to become close to that being? Alexander would learn the name of his Zanpakuto spirit, and his Shikai would become known to him in only a short amount of time. Having unlocked the power of his blade, it seemed that it would be nearly sinful to not further his progress with said blade.
For some time, Alexander would allow Zanjutsu and Hoho to take a precedence within his studies, giving his named weapon what he considered to be the proper amounts of his attention and respect. He allowed little slipping in his studies in any arena, however, determined to rise through the ranks of the Kido Corps and seeing this ascension as the only true way for him to know that his knowledge of Kido was truly impressive. By the age of 178, he advanced to be the 3rd Seat of the Kido Corps, and he would for some time be satisfied with his progress. That is until a position became available within the 4th Division of the Gotei 13 to be a Lieutenant, the second seat of a Squad.
- Ch. 4 - Division Four:
Though he himself possessed knowledge of healing Kido, Xander knew that only Division Four members could have true mastery of the technique. As someone who desired to possess knowledge of Kido in its entirety, he knew that being in the Fourth Division would be a helpful stepping stone to achieving his goals. Thus he would apply to become its Lieutenant, and his request would be accepted. Of course, there were other reasons why Alexander wanted to have the position of Lieutenant. As second seat of a Division, he would be allowed access to knowledge and information that had been previously unavailable to him. As well, he would also be that much closer to attaining the position that he truly desired: Kido Corps Commander, the recognized authority of the Demon Arts that he found so strangely fascinating.
As a Lieutenant, Xander's duties in Division Four would revolve around administration and making executive decisions more than it would revolve around the actual application of healing itself. He was expected to supervise the day-to-day operations of the Division, and he performed his duties with skill and diligence. When necessary, he would apply his practical knowledge of healing, but this was not necessarily a common occurrence. Around this time, he would also begin to form of habit of visiting the Shino Academy, acting as a guest lecturer there. His main area of teaching was the theory of Kido and its practical applications, though there were times when he would teach classes about the basics of Hoho or Zanjutsu as well.
The Fourth Division would appreciate Alexander as a second in command, as he was organized and ensured that work was spread evenly and that the goals of the Division were accomplished. As well, he would also protect his Division members from the threat of bullying by the Eleventh Division. Though most Fourth Division members were limited to healing arts, Xander had made it to 3rd Seat in the Kido Corps, and knew of several ways to bind or incapacitate those who were aggressive to his squad. It is said that the Fourth Division never had less manual labor pushed onto it by the Eleventh Division than while Kazura was the 4th Division Lieutenant. Furthermore, Xander so thoroughly enjoyed teaching that he did not limit it to guest lectures at the Shino Academy, teaching other members of Division Four about arts that he had learned during his tenure as a seated officer of the Kido Corps. Along with the first rumor, it is also said that the 4th Division never learned more combative Kido as a Squad than when Alexander was its Lieutenant.
As much as he enjoyed teaching however, Alexander had not forgotten how to learn. In accordance with his goals, Xander would continue his Kido research, learning ever more about the Demon Arts and perfecting what he already understood. This was not to be the greatest achievement of his time among the 4th Squad. During his time as 4th Division Lieutenant, he would learn a new level of connection with his Zanpakuto under the learned and watchful eye of his Captain. Within the fifty years that he would be the Division Four Lieutenant, Alexander R. Kazura would learn and advance along the path to mastering the power of his Bankai. There were tests, there were trials, and there were tribulations, but by the time he had reached 220, Xander would pass them all.
- Ch. 5 - Division Thirteen:
While he had taught as many members of Division Four who had desired to learn from him, Xander had given a special amount of tutoring to the 3rd Seat of his Division. He knew that being the 4th Division Lieutenant was not something for him to do for the rest of his time in the Seireitei, especially considering the fact that his Zanpakuto was one that was more well-suited for combating Hollows and other threats than anything else. As such, he had begun training his replacement some time ago, so that when the inevitable time would come for him to leave the 4th Division, he could do so without the burden of leaving it without a capable Lieutenant. As fate would have it, a position for Squad Thirteen's Lieutenant would become available, and Alexander would request to be transferred to that Division. To his own Captain he would present the 3rd Seat to be his replacement, fully trained and capable of assuming his duties immediately. To the 13th Squad Captain, he would in secret present his Bankai, giving him the edge over the other applicants.
His duties as Thirteenth Division Lieutenant would not be overly different from those he had possessed as Fourth Division Lieutenant. The major difference was instead of being responsible for the health concerns of other Shinigami, he was responsible for overseeing the defense of certain areas of the world of the living. There is little doubt in his mind that Alexander killed or arranged the deaths of more Hollows during his time as 13th Division Lieutenant than at any other point in his career. When questioned about this fact, he casually mentions the fact that his Zanpakuto is one that is meant for combat. For fifty years, he had largely denied it that combat, as 4th Division members were not as common a sight in the world of the living where the Hollows congregated as some other Divisions. Thus when he joined the 13th Division, he immediately and methodically set himself to 'making it up' to his Zanpakuto by typically assigning himself to the tasks that involved hunting Hollows.
There would be many similarities between his 13th Division years and those spent in 4th Division. Xander would continue to give lectures at the Shino Academy, and would spend much off-time teaching members of his new Squad about Kido. He would even continue to learn more about his Zanpakuto, being taught by its spirit more about his Shikai and Bankai underneath the tutelage of a new Captain. Aside from the difference listed above, a striking difference would be the amount of time that would be spent in the 13th Division. By far the longest amount of time that Xander has spent so far in any Division would be spent here, being just underneath two hundred years from age 227 to 425. Then something would happen that would unlock the way towards what he had desired since the beginning...there would be a vacancy in the position of Kido Corps Commander.
- Ch. 6 - Division Five/Kido Division:
As far as Alexander understood, the man who had been the Kido Corps Commander and Division Five Captain had suffered a tragedy in his immediate family. This had caused him to resign his position in favor of returning home to become the new head of his household. Either way, his absence had left a vacuum of power, as two important positions in the Soul Society military had been suddenly opened. Beyond this, there was uncertainty as to whether the Fifth Division Captain and Kido Corps Commander positions would remain as one or whether two separate individuals would claim the titles. Seeing an opportunity that would literally only happen once in several lifetimes, Xander acted swiftly.
Having been in possession of Bankai for over two-hundred years now, Alexander would place his name forward for consideration as the new Fifth Division Captain and Kido Corps Commander. He would take the Captain's Exam in the presence of the 1st Division Commander as tradition demanded. Two other Captains present would be his former leaders, the 4th and 13th Division's Captains. In front of these people, Alexander would reveal that he not only possessed a Bankai, but that he had mastered its use. As well, he would display mastery over Kido that was nearly unrivaled at that time in the Soul Society. These were of course to acquire the 5th Division Captaincy and the Kido Corps Commander position respectively. At the age of 425, Alexander R. Kazura would be installed in both positions, having returned to the Kido Corps roughly two-hundred and fifty years after leaving it. He had left as the 3rd Seat, and had returned triumphant as Captain and Commander.
His first action as the new 5th Squad Captain and Kido Corps Commander was to thoroughly integrate the systems and workings of both organizations. He borrowed heavily from the concept laid down by the 2nd Division, making the Lieutenant of 5th Division and the Vice Kido Chief into the same individual. From there, he went down the rankings and initiated a 'reset' of the entire structure. He handpicked the individuals who would be the Fifth through Third seats, choosing from individuals from both organizations and establishing new duties based around his selections. The Fifth Seat would be responsible for overseeing S?kyoku releases in addition to his 5th Division duties, the Fourth Seat would be responsible for overseeing duties concerning the Senkaimon, and the Third Seat would be responsible for ensuring that the Division and Kido Corps were continually advancing in knowledge of Kido. In this manner, the Fifth Division and the Kido Corps were effectively unified in a way that mirrored the union between the Second Division and the Onmitsukid?. In charge of what he would refer to as the 'Kido Division,' Alexander R. Kazura took the title Grand Kido Chief and for the next hundred years would finally know true tranquility with the accomplishment of his life's desire.
- Ch. 7 - The Blue Moon War:
For one-hundred years, the Kido Division worked tirelessly to expand their knowledge of the Demon Arts. Even in tranquility, Alexander saw it as his duty to set an example to his men and pressed himself to continuously keep his knowledge of Kido at the edge. For this he earned the moniker 'Master of the Demon Arts,' a fourth title to add to his list of named and accolades. Though there was battle against the Hollows, these battles were always in the short term and the small numbers. Kido Division members would be sent as support for other Divisions in the world of the living, but the advancement of Kido was seen as an end, not as a means. It would come as a shock to all when the days would come wherein Kido knowledge would become not an end itself, but the means to protect the Soul Society from a literal army of Hollows. Alexander's Kido Division, the most powerful practitioners of their arts, found their services needed now more than ever. The fighting was intense, and Xander would find himself obliged to lead these magic users into combat more times in a matter of months than he had in years worth of leading them.
There would be losses on all sides, tremendous losses felt in every Division, but the barriers and Kido blasts of the Kido Division were of significant assistance in what would become known as the Blue Moon War. First one Captain, then another, then another still would fall to the blades of the Espada, and as much as Xander desired to take vengeance, he had a duty to remain with the bulk of the Kido Division to lead the synchronized magical defenses of Soul Society itself. It did please him to note that the same Hollows who had slain the Captains would die shortly thereafter themselves. Espadas Sexta, Septima, and Decima would die in swift order and it was that this point that the war would be escalated to its final conclusion. The Hollow King would appear and begin wreaking untold havoc until the appearance of the Captain Commander evened the scales once more. Time itself seemed to stand still, with both sides seeming to freeze utterly as combat raged between the two men who seemed more akin to gods than warriors.
Finally, Aion was defeated, and the morale of the Hollows plummeted such that retreat was their only option. The routing of the Hollow army was a great day of victory for the Shinigami, and Xander personally led his Division along with the other Captains of the Seireitei to thoroughly seek vengeance upon the Hollows. This was only some months ago, and the effects of the war are still fresh on the minds of the Soul Society in relative terms. There is no rest in these times, however. Now a mysterious tear has opened up on the African continent, similar to a garganta, but simultaneously different. Along with the Division 12 members sent to investigate, Alexander would send some of his own Division 5 personnel to conduct research into the matter. Perhaps what science could not uncover, the Demon Arts could? All would return with nothing. Whatever this tear was, it was also a mystery. One enemy has already been defeated, though with Hollows one can never tell how long a wound will take to heal. Now also there are things stirring in the World of the Living, and this tear has only presented a conundrum to add to the growing list of concerns for the Gotei 13 to handle. Only time will tell how Alexander Revenas Kazura chooses to lead his Kido Division in these new days, and only time will tell if he is up to whatever challenges are lurking just beyond the sight of the vigilant Shinigami.
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